With MD Families in Need, Social Gifting On Facebook and Twitter Present a Way to Drive Awareness

April 22, 2011 - PRLog -- Beltsville, MD – April 22, 2011 – With more than 65 percent of American homes currently under insulated and energy inefficient, the majority of households are overusing rather than conserving energy. Energy bills range from a monthly annoyance to a line on the to-do list, and though homeowners know they can change their energy bills, they’re not quite sure how. In many cases, energy consumption remains an overlooked home luxury.

But what happens when finances are stretched and energy bills are no longer an item households can take for granted? The Fuel Fund of Maryland steps in as a non-profit organization that provides resources to vulnerable Maryland families for heat and home utility needs.  Proposals to chop federal funding for energy assistance by 2.5 billion dollars in 2012 mean hundreds of thousands of Marylanders may literally be left out in the cold.  The Fuel Fund doesn’t receive these government funds and, through private donations, plays a vital role getting aid to those families who fall through the cracks.

To help local families power their homes, Long Fence and Home is donating $1 to the Fuel Fund of Maryland for each Facebook “Like” and Twitter “Follower” who comes on board from April 19 to May 18, 2011. With just a “Like” or a “Follow,” each individual’s support could be worth $2 to a Fuel Fund of Maryland family.

“We’re excited for this partnership with Long Fence and Home,” Mary Ellen Vanni, Executive Director of the Fuel Fund of Maryland, said. “They are demonstrating great leadership in local community engagement with this campaign. By liking them on Facebook we can all make a difference for Marylanders facing tough times and raise funds and awareness around the issue of energy affordability and conservation. Really, what’s not to like about that?”

The social gifting project comes as part of Long Fence and Home’s energy intervention initiative. The initiative, run through the company’s Long Energy Solutions division, is designed to encourage homeowners in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia to take note of their energy habits and make changes to conserve energy at home. Each week for a year, Long Energy Solutions will pay the highest month of one homeowner’s energy bills from 2010, and the 52 weekly winners will then be eligible for the grand prize: a year of their energy bills paid by Long Energy Solutions.

To join in donating to The Fuel Fund of Maryland, “Like” http://www.facebook.com/LongFenceandHome on Facebook and “Follow” http://twitter.com/LFandHome on Twitter. Each person’s support could be worth $2 to a Fuel Fund of Maryland family in need.

To become a candidate for an energy intervention, visit www.LongEnergyIntervention.com or text “LongEnergy” to 90210 and enter directly from a smartphone. Updates on weekly winners will be shared at Long Fence and Home’s Facebook and Twitter pages. For more information contact Derek Gordon at (240) 473-1454.


About Long Fence and Home: Since 1945, Long Quality Products have been the trusted name in the home improvement industry. Family-owned for decades, Long Fence and Home® remains an industry leader, serving Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC with energy-efficient replacement windows, insulation, kitchens, siding, gutters, doors and more. Long Energy Solutions™, a division of Long Fence and Home®, is certified by the Energy Star program, the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and the Building Performance Institute (BPI). An energy assessment, or energy audit, evaluates the home by locating where energy is lost, identifying inefficiencies and providing solutions to long-term comfort and savings. Visit the company website at http://www.longfenceandhome.com for more information.

About The Fuel Fund of Maryland: As a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Fuel Fund of Maryland, Inc. provides year-round home energy assistance to families in Central Maryland and has raised more than $20 million to help nearly 100,000 Maryland families since 1981. A resource in energy conservation education, the Fuel Fund sponsors the Watt Watchers of Maryland™. For more information, visit the Web site at www.fuelfundmaryland.org.